Lies, Myths and Fairy Tales
by xxVespertinexx
Summary: Reality was often far apart from the simplicity of tales and dreams, and the picture both men found themselves in was anything but what the Goddesses had foretold. Children's stories and Sages visions of the future were always so clean and perfect, not like the real world at all. And neither were they. "You look like shit Hero." Shink. Sheik is a male.
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Foreword:**

**This is just a simple retelling, as has been done a dozen times before by a dozen authors, I am simply joining their ranks. Unoriginal and somewhat unplanned, this is actually something I write to take breaks from my main work. This story starts off where Sheik meets Link in the Temple of Time, like in every story, and goes from there. Adventure, Drama, Romance; the usual. Sheik is a separate character and is male, and this will be a malexmale story. Don't like it, don't care. No Zelda bashing, possible character death, blood and gore and details of gross things. This isn't like the other stories of love at first sight and self hate and all that, this is more real, to me anyways.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Rot and Ruin.

That's the only way to describe the town now. Such was the thick rotten miasma hovering that even at midday's peak the sun only made the sky pale brown at best. It was difficult to see just down the street in midday, nigh impossible to see your hand in front of your face at night, and running was practically not an option, you would run into a house and find it with your face before you found it with your eyes. It made one ill to breath in directly, creating festering boils within ones lungs, and indirectly it made the throat burn like breathing in smoke burning flesh, and there was a taste to it that stuck around for far too long on the back of the tongue that not even the heartiest of ales could wash away. The ground was a mix of weeds and decomposing tissue, all of it mixed with the occasional rain to have become a sick slurry between the cobles, a sick greasy film that seemed like it would never wash away. If it ever got into an open wound or sore, it was most likely a death sentence, or at least a loss of a limb.

The town was a pestilence, simple as that, and best touched as little as possible.

Then there were the decaying houses and stalls left abandoned to weather and time. You simply couldn't walk on the roofs anymore without risk of falling through, nor could you lean on a wall without the possibility of it caving in. Stones crumbled, iron gates rusted to dust, and houses had all but returned to the earth from once their resources came. The only thing that would have completed the image would be trees and vines growing over and around everything.

But nothing was growing here. Nothing could endure here. Everything either fled with their lives or stayed and died. The place was an end realm, nothing was meant to survive here any longer.

And the decay, the ruin, had only just began seven years past.

That was probably why _he_ was so good at coming and going. The man had grown up with death, breathed it's fog when he ran around playing as a child, and dealt it out as time had gone by. It was only natural that he, if anyone, could so easily traipse through the realms very own valley of death. Even though he had visited the town several times since the decay began, he was always unnerved by the sound of it above all else. The fact that there was none, no bugs or birds, was disturbing more than anything, even the air was too thick to be stirred by the wind.

The stench was nothing, his cowl able to block out a good deal, and the sights of rotting animals were nothing new by now. The novelty of death had long since worn off.

Unfortunately for the Sheikah warrior, he wasn't simply passing through this time. Oh no, he was to return to the town and remain until another warrior showed up, a rendezvous.

_"You must wait for him, no matter how long it takes."_

And thus he was left actually having to stay and take in the whole world around him, becoming far more comfortable than he would ever prefer. The warrior crouched down outside of the towns main temple of worship, re-tucking the bandages securing his armor to his calves into place, more a nervous habit than one of necessity. He loathed waiting on others, especially since anyone besides himself was always late. Always because he was constantly early, so even if someone actually showed up on time for something, the Sheikah had already been left waiting. Regardless of that he was even more ticked off at this waiting game than normal, since the intended in question was, in fact, late.

_'Late for his own welcome party.' _Red eyes scanned the pollution as he pulled out and repositioned blades strategically and methodically, ever watchful of the dead world. Thick fluid dripping from a roof a few feet away had formed green and purple stains along the stone walls, shining and reflecting light, almost appearing like a rainbow. And something had been crawling around in sluggish circles some paces away for over a few minutes now, not seeming to know what it was looking for nor what to do with itself. Not that he could blame the thing, even he didn't know what to do with himself; he was terribly anxious to meet with the Hero, their savior and Goddesses chosen figurehead of Justice. The man was a legend _before _he had even been born, his story already laid bare in looms and stained glass. The Princess had dreamed of him and the Sage of the Hylians had foretold of his coming. He was an outsider to it all, but even he could appreciate how big of a deal this was, and it was making him rather nervous though excited.

As it was, it was forbidden for a Sheikah to enter the Temple of Light, lest they lay taint to the holy light, being walkers of the shadows. Yet inside was where the Hero was supposed to descend from the Sacred Realm, the mythical blade at hand, ready to conquer the evils that had corrupt the land, all the courage the people ever needed, and the Sheikah was supposed to meet with him the moment he emerged and begin to guide him on his journey.

So much bad had already happened, it couldn't possibly find a way to get worse at this point. Besides, no one around really cared anyways.

After the young man finished rebinding his blades and armor he stepped out of a thick shadow and into the next, casually yet warily making his way to the large doors atop the broken stone steps. Sometimes ReDeads wandered the town, though more often than not they hibernated since there hadn't been anything to feed on in some time. Still every so often one would get up and amble randomly around so it was best to play by his rules and keep hidden lest be caught off guard.

The door hadn't even creaked when he pulled it open, oddly showing no signs of decay what so ever as he moved inside, closing it behind himself. The stink from outside was also strangely absent in here, and the male felt himself instantly taking his first deep lungful of air in hours, smiling serenely beneath his cowl as he exhaled. Not only the scent, but the very air _felt _different somehow, like walking through those doors had walked him straight into a different world all together. As he walked further in the warrior noticed that even without lights or the sun having touched the outside of the building somehow it was bright as sunlight inside, even the stained glass projecting perfectly on the carpeted ground. There was a sound, like a choir, echoing from the very stones, making him weary and distrustful of all the statues lining the walls of various Sages of Light past. It was like this temple was _alive,_ and that, though Holy, felt very wrong.

With a small snort to brush off the nervous prickling at his skin he walked towards the alter ahead, scrutinizing the three stones gleaming abnormally back at him. Water, Fire, Forest. Legends used to mention a handful of other stones as well, one for each Sage, but they're locations and purposes had long been either faded or scratched from history. But these three were here, showing brilliantly, three keys to the door on the other side of the stone upon which they rested.

The Door of Time.

The Blade of Evils Bane lay beyond.

As well as the Hero.

Sleeping.

_'Late.'_

The warrior crossed his arms and looked around for nothing in particular, trying to decide what his next move was for the moment. Sitting in one of the pews would just be awkward, and there was no way in hell he was returning outside, his throat was already itching like a piece of fabric had been shoved down it. Red eyes rolled up; the rafters were always an option, one he preferred in many other situations, but if this temple was like any of the others than there may be creatures living up there. This was a place of Life, it was very possibly the place kept anything within its walls alive regardless of what happened outside. It would explain how some guy was able to sleep for seven years and still be breathing. Supposedly anyways.

He looked over at one of the stained glass windows, eying the lips width from where he stood. The lithe male strolled over and silently ran a few yards up the wall and to the small space, grabbing the ledge and hefting himself up with a practiced ease, careful of the glass and ironwork holding it as he settled himself down in the corner, only needing to have one leg dangle over the side to fit comfortably. Even right up close he couldn't see outside past the colorful pieces of glass, unable to identify where the bright light was exactly originating from. The blond choose to ignore this and glance around from his vantage point, assessing the large room once again. He was perfectly positioned to see if anyone would try to come through the front doors, and when someone, namely the Hero, finally left the solid stone door he would not be able to spot the Sheikah unless he knew where to look for him.

It could still be another few hours, maybe even a full day before the other could emerge. At the very thought the blue and gray clad male pouted behind his mask, rolling his shoulders to get comfortable for the long wait.

After a few moments staring at the absolutely plain and boring temple the warrior removed a small instrument, a lyre, from where it had been tucked in his belt at his back, settling it comfortably between his shoulder and curled up knee. Fingers rose to the cords but did not play at first, their owner simply scanning the silver and bronze wires, dirty wrappings holding the cracked instrument together, worn down by the ages it had seen.

Red eyes glanced once again at one of the stained glass windows on the other side of the aisle, realizing that it depicted a tale he knew well; a rainbow fish slept and on top was an island full of people, and at the bottom was a green figure floating on the waters.

_'The Ballad of the Wind Fish.'_

The soothing and sorrowful melody began to float from the strings, echoing pleasantly around the temple, soothing the Living Shadow's mind as he lie in wait for his destiny to awaken and meet him.

* * *

It had been hours of solitude within the temple and his own mind before he felt the very realm shift around him, causing the warriors breathing to still.

Before the door even cracked red eyes were able to see the magicks as they wove, seeming to come from nowhere and everywhere and flow straight through the thick stone. The Sheikah knew the time had come, the Hero of Time was awakening.

His fingers continued to play, a simple somber melody inspired by the hymn echoing from the walls, not wanting to alert the boy to his presence just yet by changing the atmosphere. If the Hylian had already heard the music and it suddenly stopped he would be suspicious at the least. Or should be, hopefully he was aware enough of his surroundings, as any warrior should be. The stealthy warrior didn't feel like waiting around for anyone to scrub their eyes and smell the roses.

Thankfully he wasn't left waiting, as after only another moment the stone door hummed with power and crumbled into ruins, pieces tumbling down the steps and making a general ruckus of the quiet atmosphere.

_'The prison has opened, the Hero emerges.'_

The man was clumsy and uncoordinated as he stumbled down the alter stairs, looking for all the world like a little boy trying a Knights armor, unsure of how to move without the joints locking up. His legs didn't move far enough away from his body, resulting in short awkward steps, and his arms hung uncomfortably at his sides, eyes trained down because suddenly the ground seemed very far away. A fae danced around his body attempting to push him this way and that, trying in vain to acquaint the man with a sense of balance. He was still garbed in his old clothes from the Kokiri, though the boots were gone and the tunic was so short it only barely covered his modesty. Ocarina in one hand and sword dragging in the other, he looked like he had just come stumbling out of an alley way after a long nights fight with a liquor bottle.

Nimble fingers continued plucking at the strings to make them sing, red eyes tracking the other humans movements, taking in and observing every detail. How was this one to wield _the_ sword? Any sword? To slay a demon or simple Octorock? How could he possibly ride a horse or save the people?

How was _this_ supposed to save Hyrule-

The green clad Hero reached the alter with the Spiritual Stones and tripped on his own feet, smacking his chin against the pristine white marble.

"Ow!"

-when he couldn't even leave his slumber without making himself bloody.

_'We're doomed._ I'm_ doomed. I might as well take that damned sword and slay Ganon myself. At least then we have a chance.'_

After the Hero stumbled a few window aisles past the Sheikah did the warrior drop down from his window with perfected grace and silence, continuing to play the somber turned haunting tune. Crimson eyes watched as the other male cupped at the newly scraped up face, muttering and sniffling as he made his way to the doors that lead out. The ball of light was now fluttering about his head as if on fire, yet he seemed totally oblivious to her alarm. _'At least the Fae isn't a complete loss.'_

The supposed Hero nearly reached the doors before the warrior realized he wasn't going to be noticed and simply left behind. This was ridiculous; what was he going to have to do, hold the boys hand for the whole damn trip?!

Trip…

Oh Gods, he was going to be stuck with this bumbling fool either until the idiot died or Sheik did.

Bandaged fingers finally stopped playing to return the ancient instrument to its proper place at his back, hands crossing in agitation; he no longer had the concentration left to play. How was this _boy_ supposed to save anyone? If this was really the only being that could wield the only sword that could slay the Dark King, then somebody was going to have to train him to not only wield a weapon but to properly fight, even walk.

Ruby eyes squinted as the other, whom had nearly reached the doors, spun in place with the Master Sword in hand, ocarina dropped to the ground, seeming to have noticed that he was not alone.

_'Finally.' _

The boyish face that had emerged now had taken on a fierceness which causing the Sheikah to quickly reassess the other warrior least he'd made some mistake in his judgment. _'Perhaps this one was only a fool by choice.' _The bulkier fighter stood with his legs a little too far apart, having no good center of balance. Bare hands were trembling as they both held the blade, arms barely able to heft the weight of the normally one handed sword. Over all his stance was amateurish at best, several openings inviting for practically anything to get a hit in on him.

But he wasn't afraid, not of the unknown man before him.

_'Well, at least he's not a total loss either.'_

Her Highness had drilled into him the exact wording and pictures of all the prophesies she had been taught as a little girl. A ready and willing warrior was to emerge, clothed and muscled for the battle he had ahead, the Hero was to have an intuitive sense of where he was going and exactly what he needed to do. He was to be strong and brave and smarter than others saw of him at first. Of course he had a little help from allies, namely a Sheikah warrior that recited poetry and riddles and guided the Hero of where to go next and what to do and his trustful fairy to provide him with companionship in the deep unsettling temples.

However reality was often far apart from the simplicity of tales and dreams, and the picture both men found themselves in was anything but what the Goddesses had foretold. The grown boy before him wasn't ready to even fight his own shadow let alone conquer a handful of temples; and he certainly wasn't dressed the part, he was missing shoes and only wore a conical hat and a just barely there tunic, no armor or shield, no weapons besides his sword. And the Hylian didn't look the type to appreciate prose or riddles either.

Children's tales and sights of the future were always so clean and perfect, not like the real world at all.

And neither were they.

"You look like shit Hero."

The Hylians face scrunched up like has tasting something sour with those words, but still he held his place, sword at the ready. For another minute red and blue stared each other down, the only movement was the bobbing fairy and the Hero's shaking muscles. The Sheikah shifted his weight to his other hip and rolled his shoulders in a sign of ease, hoping to encourage the other to lighten up.

"Are you my enemy?"

Beneath the cowl the smaller male smirked and gave an amused huff, fighting the urge to roll his eyes as well.

"I could say I was, what then?"

Another moment passed in near stillness, the blue orb of light disappeared into the others hat, but it was difficult to tell for certain. Then the hero's shoulders dropped and he let the tension of his muscles leave, wrists and arms no longer straining to hold the sword aloft let it slide down to rest with its tip to the floor. The Sheikah quirked an eyebrow, wondering just how heavy the blade could possibly be anyways.

"I don't think you are."

Blue eyes dropped contact with his own to size up the smaller warrior, scowling slightly at what he saw. The Sheikah probably looked something to be wary of, it was something he intended of himself, but it wasn't like he was walking around with skulls and chains and a bloody battle axe.

"I don't think I am either Hero."

The forest child gone adult became more lax at this and slowly lowered himself down at the end of one of the pews, sighing wearily after getting comfortable. Arms rested on knees as one rubbed at the back of his neck, now looking more like someone who had just woken up then he had prior to the other warrior making himself known.

"I'm no hero." The teen plucked his hat off his head and dangled it by the tip, successfully encouraging his companion out. They watched the blue light as she timidly flew about before coming to rest on his un-booted foot. That was going to be a problem. In fact everything was, but for now they had to cross the sick crypt that was once the castle town and the other was hardly covered from the elements.

The Sheikah sighed deeply, the sound calling the attention of the other blond to himself once again.

"There is much to be done before you will be the Hero of Legend, if ever, and it will not be so easy as you were undoubtedly told." Tan fingers strummed at his arm in thought. "We will take this one step at a time, however you will be thrown into much you will have no way to be ready for." _'Monsters larger than ships, undead humans, phantoms and projections of fears... puberty... ugh.'_ " Time is no longer on your side, remember that."

"We?"

Red eyes blinked at this and met the blue eyes Hero's gaze clearly again, realizing that in fact he had said 'we'. Which now he was realizing that the word was accurate. In the stories the Sheikah had guided the Hero along but mostly left him to his own adventure, but that would be irresponsible of him in this case.

"What's your name?"

This man... this boy in a mans body was supposed to fell the great evil of their time. No one else could, not the Knights of Hyrule nor its Princess who wielded the Triforce of Wisdom… Not even himself. He was an assassin. Ganondorf was powerful but not all powerful, he wasn't immortal. With a flick of a wrist and a knife could sail straight to an artery, and then it was a simple matter of taking down hoards on minions and underlings. For that he may have to fall back on what was left of the army, but that was a realistic goal.

"Do you think he hears me Navi?"

Not this. This was a fairy tale. This was going to end in failure.

If this guy was truly supposed to be the only one to get them through this war then the Sheikah was going to have to make the Hero match him in every way. And then make him better than himself. And all he had was a single year to do so.

_'Maybe if I had a decade…'_

"You're right, he does kind of look like Impa."

He would have to teach the Hero to not fight like a child, to move with efficiency, to deal with a war torn world and the people who were forced to grow up in it. To survive, that was what this boy had to learn, and _he_ had to teach.

Not even twenty and the Sheikah already felt too old for this. No wonder his mother always looked so annoyed, he just got discarded with her in much the same condition and circumstance.

"Hero." He watched as the other looked away from the Fae resting on his toes and at himself, blinking curiously up. The Hylian looked so out of place with himself, wearing boyish expressions on a growing adults face. "My title is Sheik, and yes I will be assisting you on your journey."

The other blonds face lit up with a lopsided smirk, free hand extending open and out. "Well Sheik, I'm Link. But you already knew that I bet."

Sheik could just see through to the little boy beneath the surface, a cheeky grin blaring like sunshine as he ran around the town probably breaking pottery and picking up dropped change like he was a bandit. It was probably adorable in some regard but annoying in most others.

"We will be making our way to Kakariko by foot." He saw the hero open his mouth, about to interrupt, but he continued. "No horse, and no stops. If you can keep up to my pace we will be there tomorrow at sunset."

Link dropped his hand back into his lap, the greeting ignored and forgoten, pouting at the plan of action. "Can I go see Zelda?"

Sheik was losing patience; why couldn't he just smile and nod and start walking in whatever direction he pointed? At least he cared about the Princess and not only himself, that was a step in the right direction probably. But the Hero couldn't know of the Princesses whereabouts or condition, not yet. And not here, this whole place was no fit for discussing such things, too much may have already been gleamed from their short words.

The smaller fighter brushed past the other on the steps and pushed the doors open, slipping through to the outside. The smell hit him like a brick wall, and the humidity made his skin feel sticky almost instantly. The temple had been a nice oasis away from this, but they needed to leave here over all, nothing was getting done hanging around in the holy building. It seemed to be the dead of night from what he could gleam, and the world was dark as pitch all around. And with no fires illuminating windows or street lamps it was nearly impossible to see, only his crimson eyes allowing him to pick out the rocky street a few steps below.

The heavy wooden door at his back creaked open, his head already over his shoulder to watch before a bare foot even stepped out of the door. The Hylian looked ready to say something but his face quickly distorted to one of disgusted horror, hands rising up to clap over his mouth and nose. "Oh Goddesses, what is _that!?"_

Sheik nodded his head away from the temple, prompting squinted blue eyes to look out at the rolling black fog surrounding them.

"Welcome back to Hyrule Link."

The Sheikah stepped down to the cobble stone street, breathing a little more shallow in the thicker air. Hopefully the other was doing the same, the last thing they needed was one of them getting a sick, let alone a pneumonia.

"What happened here Sheik?" Link stepped down beside him, looking down distastefully at where his feet met the slimy ground, clearly not liking this place anymore than Sheik. He had pulled down his hat and began tying it over his nose like a makeshift mask, trying to block out the worst of it.

"Ganondorf." The smaller male began off, thankfully knowing his way blindly around the abandoned town, not needing to hold his hands out as he once did to feel the walls like a blind man. "Stay close."

Somewhere behind the fairy emerged again, providing the tiniest lighting ahead of them, but not enough to really be of any help. After a moment the Hylian was having trouble keeping up, lack of sight and still not being used to his own body the main culprits, and so he held onto the tail end of the back of the Sheikah warriors tabard, which Sheik grudgingly allowed; it was better than having to hold the others hand in any case.

Slowly, but surely, they began on their way. A year from now they would return, and the Hylian would have to be ready to face what lay further within blighted ruins. But for now their main worry was getting out of the decrepit town and on the first step of their journey.


	2. Chapter 2

At first there was a timidness from the Hero— shocking, considering he was supposedly Courage incarnate —and the boy turned man kept his head down and fingers tight in the thin fabric of the already well worn tabard, mindful to keep still and quite until he understood his boundaries. Several times his bare feet slipped on the grimy cobbles, the boy reaching out to steady himself on the Sheikahs body, or tugging, and ripping, the back of the warriors clothing as he fell. He always looks sorry afterwords, mutter an apology as he rubbed his increasingly dirtying backside, but Sheik wasn't bothered; the thing was already a rag anyways. When ever he glancing back at the boy he was casting around through his dirty blond bangs, eyes widening every so often and breath stilling, no doubt seeing one of the many unsettling things that thrived in this place. Like a dogs half eaten body , a torn bloody dress, or the silhouette of a wandering ReDead marching in an aimless wander down an alley, destination known only to itself.

As they left the town though, feet padding, one set heavily the other light and swift across the broken drawbridge, the supposed Hero became a little less subservient in attitude to the world around him. Grass, not emerald but pale and dead, and a large sky, not clear but haze covered, seemed to awaken him more fully. Fingers eventually fell away from his tabard, though Sheik was hard pressed to tell exactly when, and the newly awoken teen began to walk on his own. The fae finally came out of hiding in his hat and began to fly around, though never straying far, examining half dead plants or bones, muttering at what animal, or otherwise, it once was. And the Hero himself became steadier, walking with a more even gait, not needing to watch his own two feet so much as they began across the fields, heading toward Kakariko.

The ranch was closer, and honestly he wasn't sure how long the boy could stand walking, but he would rather return to someplace familiar and friendly. The new ranch owner had a wicked streak that put the Sheikah off quite so, and he was sure the awkward teen behind him would feel much the same. If not more so, considering how the man treated the fairy boys friends the girl and the horse.

But dumping all of the worlds problems on the others shaking shoulders at once was not wise nor anything the Sheikah had in mind, so he silently pressed them onward.

It was cresting sunrise as they caught sight of the Oxen's Bow in the distance, the river shallower than it had been for most of its life but still flowing steadily. They were making good time. If only he could figure out what to do with his little… problem.

"Do you think it's a he or a she?" The Fae's voice was a whisper, though not very hushed, only muffled somewhat by the others green cap.

"I still can't decide." The Heros voice was even less subtle, a harsh loud whisper that wasn't lost to the Sheikahs ears.

He feigned ignorance though, for now, more so concentrating on his dilemma. This man… this boy, was not in any way fit to kill a man, let alone one of ultimate evil. His personality, just starting to shine through the timidness, and his attitude and how he carried himself… it was as if he were still a young lad playing a game with the Kokiri all over again, pretending the role of the Hero instead of actually realizing he was living it. How was Sheik to shape this child into a knight to champion the good? How did one craft a warrior? Sheikah training he might have been able to do, but this was something else all together. Not just teaching songs and offering elusive guidance in riddles and pedantic poetry.

This was serious. Zelda would need to know. And Impa too. Perhaps, since the boy behind him wasn't according to the legend foretold, their actions didn't have to be as well, perhaps they wouldn't need to keep the Hero in the dark of the Princesses whereabouts and they could all work together—

"I think it's a guy, but how he walks…"

Thin brows slatted down, the Sheikah pausing in his thoughts and movements to turn back to the two gossipers, both stopping dead when his red eyes narrowed in on them.

"I can hear you, you are aware of this surely."

The Heros face turned pink as the blue orb darted under his hat yet again, bailing and leaving the explanation to her companion. Ruby eyes looked the boy up and down again, noting his over all appearance better in the morning light. He seemed to be wearing the same tunic as when he was a child, though the arms had ripped to encompass them having grown, and the bottom portion only just covered his modesty, though Sheik was sure the backside didn't. There was a belt, but too small to close, so it hung open from the loops, as well as a small sword at his side and several tiny pouches. The hat barely rested on the crown of his head and boots were non existent. He was still garbed in his clothes from the Kokiri, or what was left of them during his seven year rest.

"So are you?" The innocently versed question brought the Shadow Warriors eyes back up the the Hylians clear blue ones, the boy rubbing the back of his neck and clumsily knocking his tiny hat off, the fairy inside huffing an indignant string of curses as she flopped to the ground. The boy gave her an apologetic look as he reached down for the hat, Sheik trying not to think of how much the boy was probably showing to the world of his backside. "Man or woman I mean…"

Sheik huffed under his cowl, reaching behind his back and under his tabard to grab a very thin folded piece of dark gray cloth, tossing it as the hero. The boy grabbed it with a curious expression, holding on edge as it fell open to reveal a riders cloak, complete with hood. "I am a male, for any future gossip I may endure from you two, at least that shall be correct as to not insult me." The fae and the boy both had enough sense to look chastised, the blond giving a nod in apology, Sheik tilting his own head in acceptance as he turned and lead them on. Good, hopefully with that cloak the hero could stop mooning all of Hyrule and perhaps with that small lecture he might be left be to think.

"He's very moody isn't he?"

"It's probably that armor. It's like, a second skin. Can't be very comfortable."

"Not to mention indecent."

Sheik sighed beneath his mask but ignored them once again, leading them toward the winding river, trying to block out the voices as he mulled over his possible options.

In the end, where we few plausible ones to be had. He would just have to wait until he made contact with his two superiors again to leave it to them to make the decision on how to best proceed. Until then Sheik could only lead the Hero to a bed and keep an ever vigilant eye upon Hyrule.

By the time the sun had just set behind the mountains, orange and pink just vanishing from the sky, they were climbing the steps to Kakariko, and the boy trapped under the guise of a man following him was panting and sweating from the long days nonstop journey. The only breaks they'd had was Sheik handing him water or one of them breaking away to find a secluded spot to do their business, other than that they marched on, just as the Sheikah had promised. The Hero, to his credit, never once protested, though he looked ready enough to keel over that Sheik felt somewhat guilty. But they were here now, safe, and just in time to avoid the night walking monsters that sprouted with the rise of the stars.

The village was dead silent as the two walked through its gates, the only being present the guard. He recognized humans, one looking especially worn, and let them pass without harrying them, Sheik grateful to be recognized for one of the few times in his life.

As the lithe warrior lead them to a nice, if dilapidated house, at the corner of the village; a blue light came over to his shoulder, catching his eyes. "He's really tired." Sheik glanced back at the boy, watching him shuffle along like one of the ReDeads back in the market, keeping moving simply because he had been presented with no other option. Hair was slick and heavy and though the cloak covered him well enough Sheik could recognize the other was stooped over, walking in a weary shuffle. He turned forward as they ascended the final set of steps to the landing where the house was, red eyes flickering to the fairy as he gave a small nod. "This is our destination. He will be allowed the rest he needs."

The fae seemed to brighten at this and without another word to him fell back to her partner, her high voice obviously offering the same hope to the boy to keep his legs moving just a bit further.

As abandoned as the house now stood it was still sturdy, and well guarded even in an owners absence; a ward to keep out animals and a locked door kept away prying Hylians looking for a quick rupee or a free bed. Sheik unlocked the door and slid the key back under a bandage, opening the door and stepping inside, leaving it ajar for the Hero to follow at his own pace. A single lamp was quickly lit, the flame kept low, as he turned to the boy entering the house, the other having the thought to close the door behind himself with a light click.

"Make yourself comfortable." Blue eyes looked at him, heavy and dark, weary from the travel. He had warned him, right as he woke up, though it didn't stop the bit of guilt at having driven a young boy to walk for nearly a day straight. Sheik shrugged to himself, shoulders rolling in their joints, as he opened his hand to the short hallway between the kitchen and the main room, leading down to a bathroom and bedroom respectively. "You may take your rest at the end of this hall. We will get you new clothes tomorrow." He eyed the sword the boy slipped from beneath the cloak to rest on the wall next to the mantle, the Sheikah having nearly forgotten the sword was even with them, the rest of his possessions soon following; a small short sword, a sling shot, a mask, and an ocarina. Where had he kept those until now? Navi fluttered on ahead, her soothing cool light guiding the silent Hylian down the hall, both disappearing behind the curtain separating the room, her light fuzzily visible through the thick cloth in the darkness of the house.

Sheik sighed, allowing his tensed body to drop into something slightly relaxed, looking at the adult sized sword resting nearby. The Master Sword. Blade of Evils Bane. It was a beautiful weapon, of that there was no doubt, but could the weapon make the warrior? Could the strength and power of this one tool alone save them all and craft the boy in the other room, no doubt passed out, into the savior Hyrule needed?

He didn't know, and he never banked on luck or fate, so the Shadow Warrior felt very uneasy about this whole mission, more than he had in the last seven years.

The blond began to remove the out most of his suit, leather bindings of armor and his tabard being striped away, only the thin fabric of the under suit and his cowl remaining, should the other awaken to come see him. He loosened the laces to give himself more freedom and sank down heavily onto the solitary chair in the main chamber, sighing out the long day he'd just had in a single exhausted breath. Two days in a row awake, one whole one spent on the move, greeting a would be Hero only to find him a lost boy, and now himself lost as to what path to take… Sheik found himself truly exhausted in all facets. A hand came up to smooth back one side of his hair, a frustrated gesture he learned from Impa, as he sunk back into the plush cushions before remembering his most precious item poking his back and sat forward to retrieve it.

Burnished gold covering in age worn patterns, polished until they had all but faded to ghost marks, and places where weather and wear had actually begun to crack it where covered in light silk bandages as to not impede the sound and resonance it made. Silver strings and three thicker copper ones at the end, were the only thing new and rough about the lyre, all else worn and well loved. The origin of such a instrument was unknown, even to the Lady Impa and the Princess, who had gifted it to him as a token of their shared Oath just before the Dark King claimed the land. But he didn't care for the history of it, or didn't let it's lack of a known past bother him. At first he had found it crude and old, at one point even whispering to Lady Impa that it was a rusted piece of junk. But a slap across the face and the little Princesses tears had him taking back those words and cherishing the musical instrument ever since. It held magick, and whenever he ghosted his fingers along the spine he felt a sense of peace, but beyond those things nothing was known of it.

Bandaged fingers just began to pluck three string, delicately, when a loud snore roared from the back of the house, stilling the warrior.

Now wasn't the time to play nor relax. He needed to contact his Mentor and Oath Bearer, regardless of the late hour. Sheik stood and left the house silently only to slip back into the graveyard and over to a gossip stone disguising itself as a tomb marker. The location didn't bother him, the dead weren't an issue, and this place was nothing compared to the Hyrule Market Town, but the chill of the fog had his breath coming out in white and arms shaking slightly.

He would make this quick then.

Sheik touched his hand to the stone and sent a burst of magick into the void, awaiting a response. Unsurprising it was several minutes before he received a distant echo in his mind, the voice sounding sleepy and confused.

"_Sheik?"_

'_My lady.'_ He spoke back but only in his mind, otherwise silent in the Kakariko graveyard. Red eyes were lidded, deep crimson in the rising moons light, the fog eliminating most of the shadows and casting most everything in a cold gray.

"_Of what do you have to report?"_

The Sheikah shifted, trying to ignore the biting cold at his exposed skin, brows drawing down as he prepared for the long discussion ahead. They weren't going to like this.

'_It would seem the Legend Foretold, which you so favor, might have been a bit… misplaced in it's wording. We have run into certain problem's I'm afraid must be addressed immediately…'_

* * *

By the time Sheik returned to his temporary home the dawn was a breath around the corner, the sky a misty light blue, stars all but the morning one vanished, and dew covered every blade of grass and the sides of houses. Living in the valley of a mountain had its advantages, such as water and an easily defensible spot from intruders, but it meant the weather conditions quite frankly sucked. The chill had never left him, even during rather heated parts of the conversation with his superiors, Impa having joined in at some point when she obviously noticed her Princesses distress.

It wasn't as if Sheik was openly arguing with her, he would never do such a thing, nor 'spat like children' as his mother once called it; instead he, understanding Zelda's affinity towards wishing to be kind and benevolent upon him and his blood binding to her, tried to never order him and listen to his opinions. Which at first he would have nothing of, but by now, seven years of battles and mistakes later, the blond had developed a bit of a personality he rather liked to extrude when able.

"_**I would think this whole notion of setting the boy lose on the world, with nay the skills nor know how to wield more than a stick would get him killed before any real harm could be done."**_

"_**What are you suggesting? The Goddesses were wrong? The Priests? He can take care of himself…"**_

"_**You don't know that My Lady, you haven't seen him. Man he may be in body and warrior in spirit he is just a boy in mind. He could neither face down a great king, let alone the spiders at the bottom of the well."**_

"_**Then what do you suggest—"**_

"_**He needs training. He needs guidance. Not just from a fae with even less knowledge of the skills he needs than he."**_

"_**Then **_**you**_** shall teach him."**_

"…_**.."**_

"_**I know it is not as written, but perhaps his guide shall also be his teacher. If you think him still the child from seven years passed then he needs a mentor more than anything right now."**_

"…_**Lady Impa would be better suited."**_

"_**And **_**I **_**am needed here. You will guide the Hero, you will teach him as I have taught you."**_

"_**Lady Impa…"**_

"_**You will be his mind until his own is ready. You will be his eyes until his own truly see. And you will be his conscious until he understands what he must truly do."**_

After that it was short words between himself and his mother, the woman holding more commanding fear over the Last Shadow Warrior than even the Princess, though the royal lady held the final word for him, both figuratively and literally. Impa _would _be better suited for this, she had the mind set, the patience, she'd done this once before, and a part of him had been hopeful he and her might trade roles in this Legend, but that hope had been dashed aside rather swiftly. The rest of the night he and her spent talking out what the boys training should entail, among other things…

"_**Make sure he eats and sleep properly, and don't let him wander off alone. A Goddesses blessed child will always find their way to the darker corners of the world, and thus trouble. Get him fresh clothes and begin having them make the ones he will need for the trials ahead. Teach him how to care for himself and his weapons when your not around…"**_

Oh Goddesses, it was going to be just like taking care of a small child. A whole year of babysitting. He was going to have to coo when the boy bleed and cook his food just right and tie his laces and… and probably still sing and recite songs to him, if not stories, so he might rest at night peacefully.

By the time the Sheikah hit his front door, turning the key in the lock and slipping silently inside, he was very, _very, _tired, and in more than one sense of the word. The sound of light snoring from the back hinted to the Hero still in slumber, and the pale yellow light just tinting the floors in his kitchen from the windows hinted to the suns rebirth in the sky. For a moment he stood in complete silence and stillness, listening and watching the world around him, feeling like the weight of the world had just been fostered off upon his shoulders.

No body knew it yet everyone was suddenly relying upon him to make the boy into the other room into a Knight of Justice, into the Hero of Legend. Seven years they had all waited for a savior and now he had less than one year to deliver.

Red eyes squinted in sunken sockets, the Sheikah walking over to the gleaming sword and eying it distastefully. If he could just wield it, then he could get this over with now, not dedicate a whole year playing Mother and waiting on another. Because servant he may be Sheik greatly dislikes waiting upon others to be ready for anything.

Before he could lose his nerve the warrior reached out, tan fingers posed at the ready to grasp the handle, mind silent as he moved to claim a destiny—

The jewel on the sword glittered and pulsed and as he just ghosted the handle frigid electric jolts jumped in the darkness to his skin, shotting up his body and causing the warrior to spasm where he stood. Sheik hissed as he withdrew his hand to his chest and stepped back, eyes never leaving the blade, shinning at him as if mocking him. _You could never be the hero. You have a destiny to fulfill, you cannot claim another's. My master is not you._

He brought his fingers up to inspect, finding nothing wrong, though the spasms of electric still danced under his skin, slow to fade in a reminder of what would happen should he try again.

He titched and walked back to the chair, moving his lyre aside and sitting down once again, sinking into the cushions with a scowl behind his mask. Fine then, he didn't want to be the Hero of Time anyways. It was a single minded task imposed by someone else, and he had enough of those on his plate already. Sure he cared about Hyrule and wished to save it, but sometimes he would rather do things his own way at his own pace. Four years ago the Sheikah warrior would have snuck into the Dark Kings castle and slit his throat, but Zelda had invoked her power over his spirit and issued one of her rare orders, denying him from ever doing such a thing.

And epically loud snore and the sound of rustling in the other room broke his thoughts again, eyes and ears trained on the boy at the other end of the house. Still fast asleep. And it had been three days since he had slept himself, perhaps he could slip off into a light slumber while he waited for the lazy boy in the other room to begin claiming his destiny.

* * *

He awoke with a start, twitching into the land of the living with a violent jolt, eyes wide and weary as he found himself in an unfamiliar place. Full shelves lined with books and scrolls, some old weapons and various bottles both filled and unfilled, a lone dagger standing straight up and down in the wood of the desk, pinning open a scroll. Colorful aged tapestries and dozens of pillows scattered about, rough cotton sheets and the warm orange of the suns setting light heating spots on the bed and himself. He felt wonderful, refreshed and in perfect health, albeit his body still felt strange, but it was probably because he hadn't properly awoke yet.

The boy swung himself from the bed, feet hitting the ground in a heavy thud since he didn't know how to walk gently on them yet, and threw back to the thin covers to find himself completely in the nude. And… _'Oh… that's different.' _He was… older. Limbs longer and fingers no longer pudgy, stomach flat where once he had a belly and hair and _things_ where there hadn't been much of anything before. He could recall the other day or so, waking up to the strange warrior claiming to be his guide, leading him through a decrepit town and to this village, but that was all that came to him, the rest a fogged blur in his still seven year sleep addled mind. But he could recall this not being his bed nor any place familiar, so it probably wouldn't do good to let it be known he slept here stark naked.

"Come on, he's already left."

Navi fluttered into his vision, unabashed about his lack of decency as he stood and stretched, wrapping the thin tan sheets about his lower body like a skirt, rough hands scratching the back of his hair. "Who?"

"The Sheikah. He made you food and then left, saying he would be busy today. Told me to keep you inside." The light fluttered off down the hall and past the curtain, leading the way to where he hoped to find the promised food. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd bitten into an apple or tasted bread, but the sight of the jam and toast and coffee sitting on the main table, albeit all probably cold, made a warmth bloom in the boys stomach. Food… if nothing else in this world food was what he needed.

Link sat down heavily in front of the window, beginning to eat the light breakfast and observe the outside world. Everything looked nearly the same, though there were some new editions to the town he recognized since he'd last been here. The house the carpenters had been working on was finished along with several new ones, and a bridge toward the back was hanging over the stream running through town, albeit uncompleted. Several men and women walked around, seemingly finished from the day, and began to close themselves in their home, finishing cooking meals for their families and calling in children from play. It seemed normal enough though there was a decidedly somber and timid air to the villagers, eyes always downcast, children's voices hushed, no laughter or smiles forthcoming. They were all scared of something, and he felt himself very concerned about what that might be.

The boy swallowed some of the coffee, which he had overloaded with cream and sugar, and turned to his fae perched on the shelf across the room, obviously examining things in the house, judging the owner by their possessions. "Hey Navi…." He drummed his fingers along the side of the slightly uneven handmade mug, still feeling like everything was covered in a sleepy haze. I'm… _really_ confused."

The blue fairy sighed heavily and drifted back toward him, resting on his arm clutching the cup, the blond noticing for the first time the rough arm hair there and subsequently the muscle and tendons underneath, no longer soft skill and baby fat. Gods he really had changed… "Well, last thing I know for sure was we entered the temple with the stones, and the ocarina…" She crawled along his arm to his hand, reached a stick thin arm into the cup, drawing out a droplet of the pale brown liquid. "We opened the door and there was the sword." His eyes looked to the weapon still resting against the mantle where he recalled leaving it last night, untouched, as the tiny woman on his hand brought the liquid to her lips to sip from. "You were able to pull it from the stone… laughter… then we were meeting with the sage… and then we meet with Sheik, and came here. And Goddesses forbid Link do you think you put enough sugar into this?"

He looked down again as the girl dropped the bit of liquid on to his arm, wiping tiny fingers off on his skin in distaste, ignoring her last comment and usage of him as a napkin. "So we really slept seven years?"

She fluttered up again to hover before him, blue eyes going cross. "Well look at yourself, there's no other explanation for you… though Kokiri aren't meant to grow up, maybe the sage did this to you anyways." She shook her head and moved back to the other room again, beginning to examine random things once more, he tiny voice carrying in the stillness of the house easily. "Perhaps you should ask Sheik when he returns though, he seems to know more than we do."

Link recalled the warrior better now that sleep had left him and there was some food in his stomach, looking around the house but spotting no signs of the warrior having even been here. "Where is he?"

"Like I said, left to run errands. Said he'd be back around now. He didn't sleep much, looked dead tired if you ask me."

Not a few minutes later the lock in the front door began to click, bolts sliding into place, and the handle turned as it pushed open, both himself and the fae looking at the warrior that appeared. Thin cloth in blues and grays, linen bandages and a crude mask made of what looked like a tattered sheet. Pale blond hair peeked out from between head wrappings and a thin tail of it at the back. Bits of skin that showed were tan but not from the sun like a ranch workers, instead completely natural and even. Red eyes scanned them both as he stepped inside, closing the door behind his back, never letting his eyes look anywhere else but at the man sitting at his table in a dress. Link felt strange under his gaze, awkward at having used the guys home and eaten his food without so much as having asked or offered thanks. He opened his mouth to do so but the other spoke first, deep voice defying his small stature.

"You're clothes will be done by tomorrow. And I asked the knights to retrieve me a shield then as well, so we will begin your training the following day I imagine."

Links mouth, still open, clicked closed, blue eyes blinking as the warrior moved to one of the hanging lamps, beginning to lite it in the fading twilight, warming the house with it's glow as he moved onto the next to do the same. "Training?"

Sheik didn't spare him a glance anymore as he worked, giving a grunt as an answer.

He wore the same outfit as the day before, albeit less layers of armor which he now spotted on the low table in the middle of the main room. Link stood, drawing red eyes to himself, watching them look over his temporary clothing in clear distaste which he ignored. "What do you mean by training?"

Sheik turned to him fully, crossing his arms, seeming rather tired. Not just mentally, obviously by his attitude, but physically too. Navi was right, guy didn't look like he had slept, eyes dark and skin drawn. Or maybe that was how he always looked, but Link couldn't recall exactly when he'd first meet him the other day.

"You have no idea how to be a Hero."

The Kokiri flinched at the words, hand coming up to scratch the back of his head sheepishly. "Well, actually, I do. I already saved the Gorons and Zoras, and even…" The Deku tree, only not, but he left that out for now, turning his nose up to the tiny warrior across from him. Link may not be muscled as he clearly was, but he was still bigger than him. "I know exactly how to be a Hero. Now all I need to do is save Zelda and—"

"You have no idea." Sheiks low, almost growled out words, halted Links haughtiness, both himself and the fae stilling, watching the Sheikah cease drumming his fingers on his own arm, much like Impa had always done. "You did childish favors for people. Brave as they were, foolishly so, but those weren't saving people. Not truly."

Link opened his mouth, Rutos name on his tongue, Darunias following it, but Sheik silenced him with his own words.

"What do you think happened to the world as you slept Hero? That everyone stayed safe and happy? That Ganon didn't claim the throne? The Triforce of Power? Magicks darker than even the great wizards?" Ruby and Sapphire clashed, one angered, the other lowering as their owner was scolded. "The world is in chaos. No one is happy, no one is safe. All are suffering. Your deeds of the past mean little in the now, this time of strife and grief. That sword and shield you once held are nothing but a toothpick and a piece of bark, the real weapons are being held by evils clutches, and the one you have you cannot even properly wield." His voice ended harsher than it had began but he wasn't shouting, though frustration was evident enough in his words.

After that their world went quiet, the only sounds the evening crickets beneath the floor boards beginning to awaken in chirps, the light of the fae illuminating himself and the lamps flames lighting the Sheikah. What had happened while he slept? Surely Zelda kept everything safe? Impa too? He couldn't have been the only one doing something about all the bad things popping up. What happened to the knights and soldiers, even the civilians with arms? Did people not fight back? Were they unable to? Was Ganon truly so powerful?

Worry made the supposed Hero shuffle, hands at the edge of his temporary skirt adjusting it higher and re-tightening the knot. Navi had slowly disappeared behind his back during the verbal lashing, obviously trying to pretend the awkward situation didn't involve herself.

"Hero…" Sheiks voice was calmer now, trailing off almost apologetically, the red eyed man adjusting the bandages of his lower arm at the sight of Link having done so. "Much has happened. The world is so much more now than a monster that needs defeating or a dungeon that needs solving. People need saving, the world does, and there is a true evil walking amongst us that we must put an end to. That _you _must put an end to. You need to rise up and claim your fate, and to do so—" The Sheikah seemed resigned to something then, sighing deeply before looking back at the other across the way. "You must train and fight harder than ever before to become who you were born to be."

Link looked down at the floor, heaving the sounds of doors outside and the sound of a man chopping wood though he wasn't really listening to any of that, mind intent on the conversation happening here and now. This seemed really serious, like deadly serious, more so than anything had before this. He still couldn't understand to what extent they needed him, but he understood well enough that he was the Goddesses chosen to do so. Not that he much understood of the Gods and their wills, but the boy honestly had no idea what else to do. He had promised to help Zelda after all, in that courtyard, so now he needed to fulfill that promise. That was what friends did after all.

He looked up at the shadow warrior in the dwindling twilight, eyes steeled into a cold blue and face certain stone as he gave a single nod. Acceptance of his destiny. "I will fight."

Sheik seemed to sag a little at that, stance shifting and shoulders hunching just so, like the weight had fallen on both their shoulders and not just his own. "Tomorrow we will begin training. I will teach you how to fight, to understand magick, to play the music of the Gods, and how to bring down the Usurper King."

Link nodded again and Sheik began to move to the remaining lanterns, lighting them and once again not meeting the others blue gaze. "It wont be easy, and I will not baby you. Understand Hero that I am no mother hen, I am a warrior, and I will treat you as such too." With the last oil wick lit he stepped back, moving over to the windows to begin closing the shudders one by one, each being locked with a small clack. "Now go back to bed Hero, you still need to rest and your clothes wont be ready until tomorrow. I will not be training you in the nude."

The Kokiri turned man rolled his shoulders awkwardly, watching the shadow warrior close down their house for the night, Navi slowly emerging from behind to back to rest on his shoulder. "But I already slept seven years…"

"Your body still hasn't fully adjusted to itself yet. Yesterday you were a little fat boy and now your a fully grown man, I'm sure your balance center isn't fairing well…"

"I wasn't fat!" True he had been a little plumpish in fingers and limbs, but there wasn't anything wrong with that, at least he wasn't as skinny as the homeless kids in town had been. He had been healthy. Speaking of Sheik himself almost could be considered as waifish as the women in town when looked at from the right angle, stomach so thin that it made his hips almost jut out like a girls.

But the warrior ignored him and moving over to the only chair in the living area and removing a harp from the back of his outfit, grabbing up a bottle of oil and a worn rag from the side table as he sat. "Good night Hero."

He watched the other begin to polish his instrument for a minute before giving a huff and a roll of his eyes to his partner, walking back off down the hall to the room. It was dark back here, nearly pitch, only the soft orange glow from the doorway and Navis blue one lighting the place and scaring off the scariest of shadows, the Kokiri eying the bed distastefully. He wasn't tired, he was ready to begin work. The sooner he did whatever needed to be done the sooner he could see Zelda, with a smile and the sword, returning her ocarina, and profess the job as done. Though whether she would recognize him like this, so tall and grown, he wasn't sure. Hopefully Sheik had gotten him a new green tunic and hat made so his friends might recognize him. But then Zelda would be older too wouldn't she? Would he even recognize her?

The boy sank down heavily into the bed with a sigh, staring at the warm glow through the curtain leading to the main room, listening to the Sheikah clean his weapons and test the instrument, little strums of melodies, as he slipped off to sleep unaware.

* * *

It was late morning when he woke again, the sun shining in through the slits in the closed window, yellow lights of stripes across himself and the bed. Navi slept on the dresser, light dull as she rested, wings twitching as she dreamed, bringing a smile to Links face. The first time she had fallen asleep in his hat he didn't know fairy's slept, so when he called for her and rolled her out of his hat, light faint and eyes closed, the boy had begun to cry and plead for her to wake up. Only when he had dripped tears onto her and snot was running down his nose did she finally awaken, the fairy flustered as Link crushed her to himself and cried himself into laughter again.

She was a heavy sleeper, he had learned since, so he decided to leave her there, venturing up from the bed himself this time. The sheets, his temporary clothes, had come off in the night, so Link retied them before heading out of the room and to the front of the house again, noticing the lack of the Sheikah once more.

Where did he go during the day? Did he even sleep at all? Eat? Sheikahs were real people right, they did breath and all that? Though between what he'd seen of Sheik thus far and Impa in the past, he wasn't entirely sure. Why had he never encountered any other Sheikah in his travels anyways? Sheikah and Gerudo, he hadn't an opportunity to see the real towns of either race. Perhaps that was something he could do now…

Link had just began scanning for something to eat, noticing the lack of food left out prepared today, when the front door clicked open, admitting the increasingly familiar Sheikah holding a bundle wrapped in paper and twine and a soldiers shield. Red meet blue, Link giving a smile of hello, the other nodding in return and he stepped inside and closed and locked the door.

"Your clothes are done, and I have the shield already. A scabbard for that—" He motioned to his blade resting by the mantle, still shinning like it was being hit by perfect light although none fell upon it. "—will take sometime, and a visit from you with it to the weapon smith for fitting. For now…" He tossed the paper wrapped parcel at Links chest fast, the Hero catching it with a crinkle, looking down with a strange expression.

Link flipped through the pieces of the garment in his hand, belts, pants, shirt, tunic, hat… "Hey, wheres the original?" Sheik blinked at him as if caught off guard by the question, no expecting it. "I need it for when I go back."

Sheik was quiet for a moment, cherry eyes bright as they flickered between himself and the clothes, shrugging lightly after a moment and moving toward the kitchen. "You wont be needing them."

Link scowled and turned, following the smaller male as he walked past, setting the parcel down on the worn table. "What do you mean not needing them? Everyones waiting for me; Malon, Saria, Zelda… Mido I suppose. Maybe… I'll need to wear something when I go back."

Sheik turned to him as he held out a piece of dark cloth, the fabric looking over worn and dirty in his fingers. "You can find everyone now Hero." He held out the cloth silently, Link taking it slowly, not sure what was to be done with it. "It's only been seven years, everyone is waiting for you. And you will be seeing them all in due time. Our first stop after this is to the forest even."

Link felt his mood bright at that prospect, smiling a bit at the other. "So I get to see Saria tomorrow?"

Sheik only shook his head though, opening a small drawer and, where there should have been food or spices, Link spotted various potions and ointments in a variety of colors, once again leading him to wonder if Sheik even ate if his kitchen was filled with this stuff. "Not tomorrow." He grabbed a strange vial of clear liquid and one of what looked like a paste, dropping those into the others open hands as well, one of the Heros thick eyebrows rising as he tried to figure out what was happening and have the completely separate conversation at the same time. "And not for a while. The first thing we need to do is get you acquainted with being a fighter. Would you hand me the belts please."

Link opened his mouth to respond but paused at the strange request, nodding and grabbing the fresh stiff leather, stepping beside the Sheikah to pass it to him, watching intent on what he may be doing. "But I can already fight." Sheik ignored his words and motioned for him to sit at the table, the boy following his request as the Sheikah sat opposite, setting the leather over his shoulder as he began to rip off a corner of cloth from some of his scrap bandages lying atop the table, red eyes busy on his task. "What are you doing?"

"Loosening you baldric and shoes, you wouldn't move very well in it new like this. And squeaking all the time isn't conductive to any stealth you may need." Sheik turned to the Hero, looking him up and down, the silver mark beneath his left eye flashing in the sunlight. "You fight well enough, for a child. But your an adult now, and the enemies wont just be deku babas and bats. You will be facing undead soldiers and great beasts, your darkest shadows and the evil king." Thin tan bandaged fingers reached to him and he offered the items tentatively, but Sheik only grabbed the bottle of liquid from him, uncorking it and holding the fabric over the small opening, tipping it until it was near damp. "Hero, this isn't going to be a simple task, you cannot make mistakes anymore, and you cannot just blindly swing a sword or throw a bomb and hope for the best. Peoples lives are on the line now, you have to be perfect in every way."

He watched the other begin to rub the solution, which now he could smell as a light alcohol, over the leather, beginning to make it shine. Yes, he knew this wasn't going to be easy anymore, seven years of needing to sleep to become an adult had so much as told him that. Though no matter how it went it was seven years that had to pass for him to be good enough, here and now, right? Why did he have to sleep through them? Why not just live them, then he would have been able to help, and be the warrior Sheik claimed he needed to train for now. Unless something would have happened to him during then and now, and the Goddesses wished to prevent that by hiding him away?

"But… I never made mistakes…"

It was the wrong thing to say, he knew it instantly, because red eyes became sharp and the other stopped his task, though he did not look up to meet Links gaze any longer. The blond watched the other take a deep breath, fingers frozen. Just when he thought to make amends for his words the other stood, shoving the belt and cloth at him, eyes looking at him nearly as painful as if he had been yelled at. Link awkwardly took the belts and opened his mouth to say something but Sheik moved off, rubbing his fingers together and heading toward the door, Link turning to watch him go.

"Sheik wait, I—"

But he was gone, the key in the lock and the front door opened and closed again before he could hope to have said anything at all. The silence of the house, filled only with the crickets beneath, filled his ears, the boy looking sheepish down at the belt in his hand, one edge of it shinning and soft. But he really hadn't made any mistakes then, had he? He saved everyone he ever meet, completed Zelda's task, entered the Sacred Realm…. What could he have done wrong?

* * *

**Authors Note: Yep, this story is woefully unplanned, will have plot holes, and I can't not write ridiculously stupid amounts of details. It's like a bad monologue or something cheesy from an old movie, I know, and I do apologize. I'm sure you're catching onto my affinity towards run on sentences and commas fucking everywhere. ****Did I mention that I believe in hate at first sight? That's probably obvious by now... anyways I'm going to be aiming for roughly 10k per chapter or so? So expect ridiculously long winded events.**

**To my first three reviewers, thank you, kind words keep a smile on my face and my head bobbing as I write, even in public where people give me strange looks. And to the followers so far you guys make me blush, every time I get that email notification I squee like a little girl.**

**Final note; for not terribly important events like these I probably wont write as well, as you can see. More important stuff, for example like the prologue, better quality stuff. So just hang in there, we will have some ups and downs.**


	3. Chapter 3

It's well past moon rise when he returned, key slipping into the lock as silently as the tumblers will allow him, door opening and closing thankfully without a creek. The lantern's are mostly lit, courtesy he supposes of Link, who he can hear in the other room talking to no doubt Navi. The belts on the table, shined and resting loosely, the job obviously finished, and there's a pot of soup on the stove along with a glass of water on the table. The other has certainly made himself at home, and for whatever reason Sheiks not sure if that's a good thing.

He feels much calmer now though, honestly he did hours ago when the sun set, but he felt it was better to avoid the other for the most part anyways lest he ask questions and try to do the whole 'I'm sorry' 'Apology accepted' 'Lets hug' _thing._ Sheik would have none of that. He really hadn't been angry earlier, so much so as he wanted to make it clear. Link _had_ made mistakes, the biggest ones, but that was why they were all here now, fixing them. At Zelda's behest of course, if Sheik was honest he may very well have left Hyrule when he was much younger once evil reared its ugly head, back into the desert, but Oaths and Bonds and the overall feeling of needing to do right kept him in the mainland.

The Sheikah set down his lyre, of which he had spent the last several hours on this roof plucking out little melodies every so often and watching the world curl down to sleep, always vigilant for a message from his superiors or for an enemy to approach the town. They didn't much care for him here, nor did they spurn him, he was just another survivor, like them all, but he did do what he could to make sure they remained safe. This had been his home for half of his life, Impas home, and it had even sheltered the Princess for a short while when they were still constantly on the move to find the best place to hid her from Ganondorf. Many of the towns inhabitants had fled here and thus the town was overflowing with people, homeless in every alley and the inns always full, never enough work or bread to go around. The once tiny Sheikah establishment of no more than fifty people had become bustling with several hundred seemingly overnight, the stink of overcrowding and fear filling the air.

And his people were gone now. All the Sheikah that had been here wiped out when Ganon first ascended to the throne, gone to face him and their deaths. It was like throwing themselves into brick walls, they knew, but sense of duty had them try regardless. Only Impa hadn't followed because she needed to get the Princess out and stay with her, and Sheik…

Well, he had been a little occupied at the time. Or else, he always wondered, would he have been one of the many throwing himself to a bloody end.

Light laughter from the other room broke his somber thoughts and the Sheikah felt his shoulders sag, moving off toward the back room, feeling weary and tired as he pushed aside the curtain and spotted the bed. He hadn't properly slept in Gods knew how long, and with the time ahead he had no idea when he might again. And Link… the hero was garbed in the tan loose pants and the tunic, but the undershirt, boots, and belts had been left off. The hat was on the bed beside him, Navi half in and out of it, obviously making it into her new home. Blue eyes meet red as he paused in the door way, the other stopping his conversation, smile fading a bit from his face. Sheik scowled. _'Do you dislike me already Hero? We have a long way to go together, you and I, you best become used to me.'_

"We heard you playing all day…" The Hylian start, looking down at his fairy companion before back at the Sheikah, smiling charmingly and patting the bed in invitation. "Come sit with us."

Oh, how he wished it was an invitation to lie down to slumber, his shoulders already felt sore and tomorrow would be a day of training for them, one of many, though he would probably be more so dodging and shoving the Hero than really sparing. The prospect of that alone was enough to make him stifle a yawn behind his cowl. He moved though, walking over to sit on the opposite corner of the bed from the over two, one leg up curled and the other down on the side, red eyes scanning over the others clothes in the firelight. "How do they fit."

Link smiled and nodded at that, much more open now that Sheik seemingly was, hand coming up to touch the fabric of his fresh green tunic. "It's great! The underclothes are really thin, but this tunics really thick." The fairy fluttered her light at those words, a silent communication between them, and it had Link quickly nodding his head again. "And now my friends will recognize me like this…. Thanks."

"You're a symbol to the people L—Hero." He had almost slipped and spoken the others name, but their relationship was strictly business, so he wouldn't be allowing himself that. He would rise and defeat Ganon, hopefully, and then after that who knows? He could die. Or Sheik could die, even before then. It would do no good to form an emotional attachment between them, hence why Shadow Warriors were never given true names until they had earned them, such as Lady Impa had done. Sheik would never earn his right, there was no tribe nor elders left, but he had resigned himself to being just Sheik until the end of his days long ago, the name no longer plagued him like it once had. "They saw the boy in green with the fairy, they knew you. They will see the man now much the same and recognize their savior has come." He brought up a bandaged hand and noticed the soot darkening some of them black, deciding they needed a good soaking tonight. "Though the hat I would have preferred if she had not made again…"

Link grinned across the way, grabbing up the hat, Navi giving a huff as he did so and fluttering off before she took a tumble to the bed. The Hylian put it atop his head with a childlike smile, end flopped down over one shoulder. "You don't like my hat?"

He looked ridiculous, it was like a sleeping cap from about a century passed, and it just seemed so strange. On him, for some reason, it fit, but the whole principle of the conical shaped hat was just absurd, in Sheiks books anyways. "No…" He looked down at himself again, warriors suit wrapped in bandages because hell if he could sew, and hell if he would hand it over to the seamstress. On top he would place sheaths of leather armor, strapped into place with laces and sometimes more bandages because quite frankly it was made for someone bigger, or more average sized, and he was just too small. He supposed he looked a wreck, so he couldn't say much to the other on fashion choices.

They both must look like quite the pair; a grown man dressed like a fairy boy, and another dressed in rags with blood eyes. Yes, quite the sight.

"So… what are we going to do first?" It was the first time the Fae had addressed him directly besides a quick word or two, fluttering by her masters side, though looking at him warily. She seemed to have some sort of anxiety of people, he had always noticed that when he saw Link all those years past she would duck into the boys hat when they were around people or in open places. But in the dungeons and such she would always float around, or especially in the woods. Though granted he hadn't caught much of the hero as a boy, he saw enough to understand her well enough.

Sheik kept his voice calm with the timid fairy, nodding behind his cowl, the wick in the lantern hanging off the bed post crackling. "Tomorrow Link and I will begin training, and once I feel he is ready enough we will head toward your forest haven where the first temple awaits, as well as the sage."

"Sage?" Link tilted his head a bit, pulling off the cap again and setting it down in his lap.

"Your main objective as of now Link, is to rescue and awaken the seven sages. Without their aid, you have no chance to defeat Ganondorf, even with the Blade of Evils Bane and your unyielding Courage." The other seemed perplexed at that, Sheik deciding he didn't need to start launching into a history lesson nor on what lie ahead. "Besides, you have an old friend waiting to meet with you in that forest do you not? I'm sure _she_ is rather eagerly awaiting your return…"

As he trailed off the words he saw the realization bloom on the others face, the Hylian smiling fondly. "Saria… Can't I go see her now?"

Sheik only shook his head, holding out his hand, palm up, toward the man across the bed. "You're just not ready. You need to save her, not just see her, and you need to become strong enough to fight the evil suppressing her powers. I will help you when the time comes, but I can't just be fighting alone, and I can't be babysitting you along the way, you must learn to not only fight but to do so alongside me. We must train together, if even for a short while." _'And I'm sure it won't be so short of a while. Much as I hate to leave everyone waiting on him in limbo, he just isn't prepared. I would be a failure as a guardian to send him off now as he is.'_ The other reached out slowly awkwardly, and Sheik grabbed his wrist, pulling the others arm close. Without warning he began to feel around at the muscle, or lack there off, on the others lower and upper arm, eye brows drawing down at what he found as he poked and prodded at thick skin. _'He has something to him, but just barely. He would make for a good ranch hand, throwing around bales of hay day and night, but little else. He won't stand up to the blows on a shield or the clashing of weapons…' _Though, as he thought about it, the forest would be the best place to start for him then. His enemies would only be Poe's and bugs, soft and easily defeatable things, nothing resembling a humanoid with armor other than the Moblins they would have to slip past. Besides that though, he may be able to handle the temple sooner than Sheik thought. Though he would still need a little time to train…

"Uhm…" The Hero's fingers twitched as he pressed a pressure point, twisting his arm front and back to test the ligament movements too. "What are you doing?"

Sheik seemed to realize then he was holding the others hand and dropped it, looking up into curious blue eyes with a slight shake of his head. "You don't have nearly enough strength yet, even I would wield such a heavy blade better than you." He was smaller than the Hylian but held more muscle, which seemed rather strange considering things. The others eyes looking him over from shoulder to leg must have agreed because he gave an understanding 'huh', though it did made the Sheikah feel rather self conscious to be studied so.

"So do we begin with weight training or what?" Navi asked nearby, blue light brighter and purer than that of the flames, casting them both in heavy shadows and pale light. Her voice was still quiet and attitude he knew she possessed withdrawn, but eventually she too would become accustomed to his presence, in due time.

"No, tomorrow we fight."

* * *

After their short talk last night Sheik had excused himself to the chair, resigned to it being his new place of rest and quickly having fallen into a much needed light slumber. Though it was difficult enough to get any sleep with a snoring Hylian nearby, let alone the thoughts trickling through his mind about how the following day would go. How would he go about training him? Where should they go to do so? Impa and himself had disgusted it at length, but ultimately both had been undecided on a finite plan of action. She recommended just repeatedly fighting and 'kicking his ass', as she so eloquently put it, until he was strong enough to win. But Sheik wasn't sure; should he just abandon the whole fighting thing, since the Hero clearly wouldn't be on his level, and just put him through the same kind of training Impa had imposed; running for hours on end and climbing and various exercises to build strength and stamina…

But he wasn't sure the Hero would put up with that for long, much less himself, so when sunlight came and he awoke the sleeping Hylian he resigned himself to 'fighting' the boy, which he was sure was just going to consist of him dodging and then tripping the man until his new clothes were muddy and he was cursing himself out. He sighed; no matter how this played out he was sure the boy would be hating him by the end, much as he had dreaded to see Impa every day during his own training.

As he walked toward the graveyard, Link trailing behind, yawning as he pulled on his clothes and belt, Sheik sighed and took a swig of his water, pulling down his mask for only a moment to do so since none of the villagers were up yet it seemed. He didn't want to bother donning his own armor for this affair since he suspected he wouldn't be needing it, but it might have insulted the Hero so he did so anyways. There was still the thin fog of night settling in the valley of the graveyard, the Sheikah easily strolling into it and past the Gossip Stone he knew well, feeling the others shift in mood at his back. Ah, hates graveyards. Not surprising, most hate the reminders of death.

A Poe strayed near himself, eying them both, but Sheik simply shooed it away, the ghost giving a playful laugh as it disappeared, abiding by the Sheikahs wishes and leaving them be. If there was one thing he held sway over in this world it was the shadows that walked it, all falling under any true blooded Sheikahs command. It was what made himself and his people feared since shadows were often connoted with darkness.

"Here." He paused in the middle of an older part of the graveyard, far less frequented and neglected, weeds growing and Poe's hovering about just out of sight. Sheik turned to the other blond, eying him as he finished strapping the last of his belts into place, sword held awkwardly in hand as he did so and shield already strapped to his back. He looked more the part of a warrior now, though he would need some armor eventually and wear much less of an open face. He looked too friendly, too boyish, to be a fighter. He would need to lose some of his innocence if he was ever to kill the Dark King. But such talks weren't for now, such things were in the distant future, and for now he was just a boy forced to become a man and Sheik must meld him into a warrior.

Blue eyes looked around at the graveyard, as he had been here before, but obviously had found no reason to explore it all. Thin and thick hedge-stones, faded writing, weeds and dew slick grass beneath his booted feet. "So we're gonna fight here then?" Navi fluttered out of his cap, jingling at the chill and darting right back under, ignoring the other two as she did so.

Sheik simple gave a nod and dropped his arms from being cross, not quite falling into a battle stance but not so relaxed anymore either. "Your job, for now, is to hit me with your sword." The Hylian seemed surprised at this, and sensing his fear over worrying the Sheikah the platinum blond shrugged his worry off. "Only with the flat of your blade. If I get scratched a little it will be fine. No direct lunges and do try not to slice me open if possible."

Still he didn't seem convinced, though his hand automatically lifted the sword into a battle ready stance, still using the one handed blade two handed. "Are you sure? I don't want to hurt you…"

Sheik chuckled lightly at that, lifting his hand to make a come hither motion, nodding assuredly to the other. "I very much doubt you will even touch me. This is more an exercises in helping you understand." The Hylian again was left looking confused, but Sheik didn't feel the need to explain himself, still not entirely sure what he was honestly doing either. "Now come at me, and do not stop until I say."

Link seemed to take the bit of teasing bait, pouting at him and shifting, boots sliding in the gravel as he readied himself. Sheik already began dissecting how very wrong his stance was, cataloging away various things to fix with him later. But for now…

Link lunged, drawing in a deep breath as he did so, running as fast as he could towards the Sheikah, the silence of the graveyard suddenly echoing with his heavy movements. He was so slow to Sheiks eyes, like a man moving through water, so when the Hylian approached and swung it took little for himself to jump back, watching as the boy over powered his swing and nearly tripped. But he right himself quickly enough and ran right at him again, apparently a fan of try and try again until it works. Once again Sheik dodged. And again. And when the other tried to change things up and trip up the Sheikah with his foot the blond simple vaulted himself easily backwards over a hedge stone, watching with boredom as the others foot struck stone, causing him to hiss out a curse under his breath.

Not a half an hours past when the sun was cresting the valley line the Hylian was panting, and Sheik was _very_ frustrated. He had so much wrong, he really was a boy just simply given a sword. Not an ounce of training to be had, not a single sense of warrior mannerism at all. How was he to fix all this within a single year? Not even Impa could be up to such a task.

After a while longer, when a few villagers came and gone, either to visit lost ones graves at other ends of the yard or to see what all the noise was, Link had thrown down his sword, and was just simply lunging at the Sheikah with his hands out, snarling like a dog and muttering random obscenities Sheik was sure someone so young shouldn't know. He hadn't even broken a sweat himself, though he was growing weary with the whole affair, frustrated same as Link was. The lack of sleep didn't help, he _almost _slipped on the moss by a stone once, but he righted himself quick enough and the Hylians untrained eye never saw so nothing was said on the matter.

"I can't…" Half past the none the Hylian stopped moving, finally, hours after they began, and hunched over, hands on his knees as he dripped sweat and gave labored breaths. His clothes were sticking to his body and the hat had been long since tossed aside somewhere, deemed too uncomfortable to wear, same with the heavy shield. "I can't catch you…. You…your too fast."

Sheik took some pity and walked over, already holding out the gourde of water from his hip, watching as Link took it slowly from him and stood back up with a wince, uncorking it to take a deep swig. Sweat slicked his neck and face, hair shined with it and left in clumps, the dirty blond smelling of testosterone and frustration.

"It's not easy. Not all your enemies will be based on strength, some will have the advantage of speed or even magic. Or even use intelligence as their weapon in a swords stead. You've only ever fought those that were based of power, which is good because that's Ganondorfs home turf, but that will not be enough to help you win now." Link sighed as he pulled the jug away from his face, Sheik taking it back and strapping its cord around his belt again, crossing his arms as he looked the hero over. "And you won't be able to just shrug off your shield and sword when your fighting. You have to learn to carry those weights."

He saw it coming, the childish nature in the other giving it away, so when Link tried to surprise and grab him so close Sheik merely jumped back and, when he tried to lunge once more, the Sheikah flipped back completely with a handstand, landing with the grace of a cat on the top of a thin worn hedge stone. The Hylian growled at him, while he only gave a small smirk behind his own mask. Good, anger fueled him, he might keep trying for a little while longer. The boy had stamina, at least they had something to work with.

"Surprise is a good element too. So long as it is actually surprising."

* * *

By the time they stopped, Navi having long since abandoned him on the pretense that he smelled, and Link felt like he might just collapse and sleep for another seven years again. His muscles had gone past the point of burning and were not dead slabs of meat between his skin and his bones, and his movements slow and downright pathetic, he knew. He had realized sometime within the first few minutes that no, he did not nor would he posses the speed to actually grab the slippery Sheikah, the other far too nimble for him and his own build, so he had turned to ways to potentially trick him, since, as he said, intelligence was a weapon too.

But Sheik was smart as well, so it made his attempts neigh impossible. He would call for a break for water, bring the other close, try to grab him and fail. He would fake falling and hurting himself, the red eyed man would come close, he would try and grab an ankle, and be dealt a foot to the chest shoving him back to the ground and a laugh. He tried so many things, it had gone to the point of silly, before he had given up and gone right back to mindlessly running at him, mind and body too tired to do much else.

When the sky turned bright orange and the clouds purple and pink the warrior finally declared them finished, to which Link promptly fell into the cool grass with a whine, eyes slipping closed as he felt all the pains in his body catch up with him in stillness.

"You know. I'm shocked you did this all day." Navi fluttered and spoke somewhere nearby, but he couldn't be bothered to open his eyes and look. His tongue was sticking to the roof of his mouth too, the boy feeling rather dehydrated as he panted. At least the grass was cool and soft, the only kindness he felt left, and decided he didn't much wish to abandon its loving embrace anytime soon.

"I agree. His stamina is quite remarkable." And Sheik somewhere by his feet, very close, though Link was far to drained to even try something so foolish as to grab him again. Not that it would matter anyways.

"Yeah, he always was good at getting knocked down and right back up again."

"Hn."

"Glad you guys are making nice." He winced and opened one eye, looking between the ethereal ball of light and the Sheikah, scowling at the later. "Hate you by the way."

Sheik crossed his arms, an act Link was finding customary, and unhooked the gourde from his belt again, the last swig of water inside tempting him with light swishes. "I'm sure you do. And this is only the first of what is to come."

Link sat up with a groan, elbows on his knees as he took the offered drink, uncorking it with a sniffle. "So I get to do this again tomorrow?"

Sheik knelled down beside him, balancing on the balls of his feet as he seemed to look the Hylian over. He was silent for a moment, obviously thinking out his words, blue eyes watching him warily. "No. You're not going to be able to catch me anytime soon."

'_The what was the point in all this? Was he just messing with me? Why beat me up when nothing came of it besides my new clothes soaking with sweat and me pissed.' _

Sheik seemed to sense his turmoil though because he lowered his head and gave it a small shake, more so toward himself than directed at the Hylian. "Forgive me Hero, I'm not sure how to proceed in training you. This wasn't what I had been expecting when you found you in the temple. And I am unsure how to help you."

Link felt his anger soften at the admission, setting down the empty jug in the grass, hand still clasped around it. Now that he looked, by what he could tell with that mask in the way anyways, Sheik was just as frustrated as he was. Even if he hadn't broken a sweat during the whole day of supposed training, he seemed disappointed in and not just in Link but himself as well, a scowl slashing his brow. How did one train a warrior anyways? Sheik was one, but not the kind he needed to be, so neither of them knew what needed to be done. The Kokiri sighed out his anger, feeling is disappear into the cooling twilight air, suddenly very aware of his sticky clothes and throbbing muscles. "It's fine, we'll try something again tomorrow." Red eyes flicked to him, obvious surprise found in his understanding, Link just giving a simple smile and a nod. _'It's okay. Not your fault we're stuck here.'_

Sheik nodded back slowly and uncurled from his position to stand again, offering his hand again, to which Link passed back the now empty jug. And then he was surprised as the other blond offered his other hand too, obviously giving assistance in helping him stand. Link took it gladly, ignoring how sweaty and slick his palm was, giving a lopsided smirk as he stood. He was a good head taller than the other, broader of build too, and the warrior in training found himself wondering how old this Sheikah was anyways…

"Come along Hero. Let's get you washed and fed." Sheik lead them both out of the graveyard and back into Kakariko, homes already shut in for the night, the stars already cresting the sky. It was early autumn here, trees just tinged with yellow spots and seeds flying through the air seeking homes, the days short and the breezes chilled with the hint of the winter to come. He shivered in his damp clothes as they walked through the town, a random cat hissing before clattering across a roof, no doubt after some food or to give chase to another feline. Thinking on that, Sheik moved much the same. All day his weren't just simple sidestep and back step dodges, he would bend his body straight back at an almost perfect angle, like one of the artist in the circus he had seen once in the Castle Town as a boy. His clothes weren't skin tight but neither were they loose like his own, always giving a good view of the muscles at work underneath. He was build but not for strength, though his legs, specifically the thighs, looked thick enough to do some real damage. Link was sure his kicks, the real ones, would smart something fierce. Sheik would definitely be someone he would be more than happy to have along his side as he went through the temples, if for no other reason than someone to fight alongside.

As a friend, well, he didn't know much about the Sheikah really. That he played the lyre and was on the side of good and was a warrior, but that was about all. What his face was like and what his pastimes were, his memories and his sense of humor, Link had no idea of these. Did he have family somewhere, waiting for him? Was Impa maybe his blood relative? So much unknown, and he was supposedly to be around him for a while. And either the guy already knew what there was to know about himself or wasn't interested, but Link decided that wasn't right, and so as they walked back into the house he was coming accustomed to, he turned to Sheik with a tired smile. "Will I ever get to see your face Sheik?"

The blond seemed taken aback by the question, blinking up at Link confused before shrugging off the question and walking past him into the house. "Probably not." He walked down the hallway into the bathroom, Link following and watching as he began setting out various soaps and towels, obviously preparing the place for a bath. _'Hopefully for me.'_ "Not that it is against any rules, Impa does not wear hers for the most part, but I rather prefer to keep to myself. I'm not the most talented at hiding my emotions, and it's best my enemies don't know them. You might want to strip out of those."

'_Well I'm not your enemy.'_ He couldn't help but think, but let it go, not wanting to pursue a dead end and agitate the Sheikah like the other day when he had walked out of the house. He began to peel off the layers of clothes, sneering as he got a good scent of himself as he lifted his shirt and tunic overhead, holding them out as far away from both of them as possible. "Oh man, why didn't you tell me I smell like wet dog?"

Sheik gave a small laugh behind his mask, turning to Link and walking past, waving a hand over his shoulder like a goodbye. "I'll go fetch water for a bath and to clean those. You just go ahead and start washing them in the left over water in the basin." And then he was gone, Navi moving to follow him but halting, turning back to Link instead. He shrugged and knelled down before the basin, dipping his hand into the old cold water with the slightly milky hue. He knew it was used, probably from the Sheikahs last washing, but the temptation to splash it on his face was very difficult to resist, what with the dried sweat on his neck and sticking his hair in the most uncomfortable way. Hopefully tomorrow he wouldn't be driven to such a state, or else he might begin fearing for dehydration to claim him. He tossed in his clothes and uncorked the closest bottle, taking a whiff of the sweet scent before deeming it probably some soap and dumping a hefty amount in. He had cleaned his clothes a few times on the road as a child, but with no one around to reprimand him for doing otherwise more often than not he went without a good wash until Navi shrieked at him to do so. He could sense the Sheikah wouldn't put up with him smelling all the time though, so he tried to make as short of work of the cleaning as possible.

As he scrubbed and bubbles built up the trap door in the wall he hadn't noticed till now opened, Sheiks red eyes peeking through, looking him over in his nude state. Link hadn't felt self conscious until now, but his body was so much different he couldn't resist the flush and the spike of embarrassed indignation. "What?" His voice squeaked, breaking a bit too, causing the Sheikah to chuckle.

"Just making sure you didn't pass out. I'm putting the water in for the bath now, will take a bit to warm, unless you like ice water." He moved away from the gap and following it a moment later down the sluice began to pour crystal clear river water, filling up the wooden basin rather quickly, the underside covered by a sheet of metal and below that what he could now see as coals. After the water was done running he could tell Sheik began re positioning the coals and things as he could see through the grate anyways, Link able to hear him clacking a flint again, starting up the embers; so he warmed the water with embers, interesting…

He couldn't resist a smile as he continued to scrub out his clothes; he had never had anyone care for him, not since he had been a toddler and Saria was forced to watch over him and prevent him from getting in all kinds of trouble. After a certain point the other Kokiri had made him his own house, since the trees just wouldn't grow him one for some reason, and he had been taking care of himself ever since. He had Navi, but the fae could only do so much, most of it information and companionship in the loneliness of the big wide world. Now he had Sheik though, and Link could tell things, just besides the little ones, were going to get much better.

* * *

Once the water was warmed and the hero in the tub Sheik headed inside, sinking down quickly into the chair. He was beyond tired, so many things not going at all how he had planned for them to be. Link… the Hero, he wasn't at all what they needed. And to think he only had a year to craft him into their savior, defeat the temples, save the sages, and then defeat Ganon… Impa and Zelda were only to be distant help, and the people had no idea. He wasn't sleeping all of the sudden and now he had to take care of a practical child…

Sheik brought his hand up to his eyes, blocking out the light, and giving a weary sigh. Surely the Goddesses didn't expect all of _this_ from him? They laid practically everything on him! He could take the sword up much easier and fight evil and help this land, if only the blasted blade would allow him to. Maybe it was because his mind was impure? The hero was the epitome of innocence probably, right? Perhaps if he cleared his mind…

Red eyes looked at the sword across the room, again resting against the mantle, seeming entirely too far away. But he pushed himself up from the chair regardless and moved over to it, stilling just before it, looking it over with a slight pout. He could hear the Hylian in the other room rustling in the water, thankfully becoming clean, so he knew he had a moment. Just himself and the sword. Should such an opportunity arise for any other surely they would try and take the weapon for evil gain, but the Sheikah truly just wished to finish off the evil oppressing them all in this world, once and for all.

He cleared his thoughts, a blank slate, and his lips fell into a thin line. _'I will defeat the evil that plagues us. I am justice. I am balance. I am worthy.' _Feeling assured of himself Sheik reached out again, fingers skimming the hilt, unafraid.

_**You're not my master.**_

Purple and blue. A small form. Empty eyes.

_**You are a guide.**_

A melody, something familiar and all together foreign echoing in the void. Words in the old tongue, too thick and beautiful to understand.

_**It is not time yet. But soon.**_

Fingers itched to play, sensing something beyond words, fragments of the long distant past. Deep magick.

A new voice, motherly, familiar and foreign. Ancient.

_**Do not forget who you are.**_

And tan and golds, all slender and sharp angles. Red eyes.

Blood. His blood. Their blood.

_**Do not forget where you come from.**_

He felt himself scowl and the magick was broken, yellow electric shooting up his fingers and tingling all the way along his jaw, Sheik stepping back with a gasp for air. He hadn't been breathing? And where was—

He look around, but it was his house again, Impas house, and the lantern's needed to be lit as twilight spread its hold. He was still, eyes looking carefully back down at the blade, forever gleaming with ethereal light. He had seen… there was a spirit in the blade, and remnants of another… a Sheikah. But how, and who, were they? And that melody… Sheik turned back to his chair and settling upon the arm, one leg propped up on the cushion, the other hanging down, he grabbed his harp and positioned it, ready to play, fingers moving, eager to taste silver strings…

The Royal Lullaby passed, the Sheikahs brows drawing down as he did so. That… wasn't right. Not quite. It was… different. He tried again but found the melody from the vision slipping from his mind, only the Princesses song passing his strings. No… he had lost it. But what was it? And who had that Sheikah been? He could hear the Hylian in the other room lift himself from the water, seemingly near finished, and Sheik continued to play, only broken pieces of the Royal Melody coming forth, nothing seeming to fit.

Perhaps he should ask Lady Impa…

"That sounds familiar."

The voice halted his fingers, red meeting blue, the low light of the setting sun casting them in heavy shadows of muted grays. The hero was wrapped in a towel, again improvising a skirt, while his clothes probably hung to dry. He smiled and moved over to the first lantern, beginning to light the wick. "It's getting cold, autumn coming. You should start keeping a fire going." But Sheik didn't say anything, still trying to grab onto the melody from the void, fingers beginning to pluck out music once more.

The blond Hylian settled on the floor in front of the fireplace with a sigh, leaning forward to begin shifting the logs, beginning to set up the hearth for a long burning fire. Sheik simply watched as he did so, constantly strumming a low soothing lullaby, the distant sounds of people shutting themselves in for the night barely reaching their ears. Does the Hero hear the melody too? When he holds the blade? Does he see the lights, the spirits? Do they guide him maybe? Perhaps he wouldn't be as hopeless wielding the sword as Sheik thought…

Or maybe it was all in his head, the lack of proper sleep making him see things where there was none.

"Link."

He had never spoken the others name before, so very quickly the other looked back, a curious look upon his face, Sheik halting his playing once again. The melody wasn't coming right anyways, no use trying to force it. "We will try again tomorrow. Only this time we will be truly fighting. You will come with me to the abandoned valleys of the mountain where several monsters have made their homes, and we will do some 'spring cleaning', to help keep them away from the villagers. It will be good practice for you."

The Hylian gave a small smile at that, nodding and turning back to the fire, holding out his hands to warm them on the newly birthed flames, both of them falling into a companionable silence as Sheik began to play his lyre once more, various songs and soothing melodies filling their home.

* * *

They trained and explored the valleys and grasslands surrounding the village, never straying far from home, always returning for the night. Sometimes they would wander during the darker hours, when stronger enemies arose. Sheik fought most of them, at first, Links movements slow and awkward with the sword, never able to efficiently use his shield at the same time, but slowly he began keeping pace with the Sheikah, both slaying monsters as a shared burden; though he always suspected Sheik paced himself for Links benefit, for which he was grateful. Words of advice, nods or shakes of the head, rolled eyes, he was always receiving some guidance and critique for his fighting, along with Navi jolting him from beneath his hat, both acting as his ever watchful teachers. And he was never afraid, even when he got hurt by a claw or bashing into by a hoard of mountain tektites, he never worried. He had his friends watching his back, ready to patch him up, ready to protect him.

So he fought, and bleed, and bruised, and smiled. It was almost fun to learn like this, always by Navi and Sheiks side.

When they began to venture further into the mountain passes they began having to set up fires for the night, Sheik playing soothing songs on his lyre to lull Link to sleep, Autumn tossing gusts of leaves and chills about. Sometimes Sheik told stories, never of himself, but of the world, both past and present, things he never learned and things he had missed while he slept. He learned to read the little signs about the other boy, the crinkle of his eyes when he smiled, or the stillness of them when he was serious. How his fingers strummed along crossed arms when he was yearning to play his instrument because he always played it when he was nervous, or how he always jut his hip to one side and not the other, Link wondering if it was from an old injury. He would remove his mask to drink but always when Link wasn't looking, and though he asked, reminding the tan boy that he had said it didn't matter if he saw, Sheik always brushed it aside.

He wondered if the guy was self conscious, but never pushed. He knew not too.

But he wanted to know, Link was always so eager to learn, from the names of the plants and monsters to the songs Sheik played, the Sheikah promising to teach them all to him in due time. As nice as the stories and legends were, the lessons about the plant life and the habits of the Keese, he wished to know more about his new friend, whom sometimes he felt he knew virtually nothing about.

Even after spending nearly a month beside.

"Hey Sheik?"

The fire crackled low between them, the night having just fully settled, the sky clear with the river of stars cutting through it, only their light brightening the world as the moon hid from view. It was unusually warm this night, so late into the season, and the ever present hoot from an owl spoke lowly in the distance. The Sheikah never stopped strumming the silver strings but Link knew he was listening, the blond always observant of all around him. Even when he slept, always sitting up, never too deep in slumber. "Yes Hero."

Sometimes he would slip up and say Links name, it never seemed to bother him, but he seemed to avoid it more often than not. Link opened his mouth to respond but then thought better of the immediate question on his mind, deciding to reword it, start things off small. "The tattoo, around your eye…. Whats it mean?"

After a few moments, a certain crescendo in the melody reached, he spoke. The silver, truly silver, tattoo around one red eye had always caught Link gaze, reflecting light like real metal, even though it was skin. "It's my Mark." The Sheikah paused in his playing, turning to Link. "When a Shadow Warrior comes of age, they are gifted with a sacred mark, all their own, meant to protect them and their sight, even if we become blind." To the Hylians surprise pulled down his cowl enough to see his whole cheek and the design, the other hand pushing back his bangs behind his ear. What he had only caught glimpses off flashes of silver, he could now see it in full. Platinum with a sheen like polish, cracked and uneven like rock along the edges, was the very same mark upon his tabard, only his own eye the focal point. It complimented his skin, platinum on bronze, shinning like there was real metal embedded in his skin. "Mine is silver, where Impas is Gold. My color is from my tribe, and hers the one here in Hyrule."

Links hand had been just rising to touch at the mark, curious if it felt like skin, but the words halted his movements, a bit of personal knowledge offered that he would not let pass. "Your not from here?"

Sheik smiled, which he could almost see now with the cowl pulled aside, and sat back, letting his mask come back into place, hiding most of his features once more. "My people are from beyond the desert. Or my father was at least. I stayed with them for a long while until… "He seemed pained at something but rolled it off his shoulders, turning back to the fire and sitting down more fully, now closer to Link than he had been before. "Then I came to the Castle, to stay with Lady Impa. And ultimately was taken under Blood Oath to the Princess. And the rest.. Well, seven years of war about sums it up." He began to play his lyre again, falling into silence once more, a song he had come to realize was one of Sheiks favorite melodies as he played it most often.

Navi rolled over beneath his hat on the grass, light flickering like a flame on a wick before settling again, the fae fast asleep. Sheik wasn't from around here, same as Link. He was just here, doing what needed to be done. He didn't seem to particularly enjoy his work, but neither did he seem so opposed to it; it simply was what needed to be done.

"So… there's more to the world than just Hyrule?" Link felt his curiosity get the better of him, deciding to keep asking questions for once about the other instead of accepting only the little bits of info he was rarely given.

Sheik gave a low laugh, one Link had come to smile at every time he heard, the warrior stopping his song and beginning to play another one, one that sounded decidedly foreign to his ears. "Hyrule is…" Red eyes looked up from his strings, looking around for a moment before looking straight up, Link doing the same to see what he saw. "See the blue star to the north." Link felt himself nod even though Sheik probably couldn't see it, eyes watching it twinkle, thinking it very much reminded him of Navi. Perhaps that was where Fairy's went after their lives were done here, to live amongst the sky, to become the stars. "Imagine that blue star is Hyrule. All of our lands, the lake, the mountains, the fields, the desert province, the forest, all of it is that star." It was strange to think of everything he ever knew as such a small singular thing but he tried, nodding a bit slower this time. Sheiks music picked up, the melody gaining life, moving to a distant land. "Now look at all the other stars, everywhere. Every single one of them is another land. Another world." Blue eyes began to flicker between them all, red and golden and faded and bright new stars… soon becoming lost, not sure where he started. "There is so much to out beyond these borders, worlds and places long forgotten, those yet to be found…" The tune turned into something mystical sounding, almost like a womans voice whispering into the night. "Hyrule is our little piece of something much grander, more than we can even begin to fathom Link."

He looked over at the other, Sheik still staring up into the sky, eyes a deep red as he stared off into the darkness. "But… do the Goddesses govern them all? Am I supposed to save _all _those?"

Sheik turned back to him, fingers trailing off the music into a finite silence, like it had come from nature and simply disappeared again. "There are many Gods, many Hero's. Different times and different fates. Some end well, others not. But time goes on. We all exist, and then we don't." He stood, unfurling from the ground with perfect grace, putting his lyre at his back, smiling at the Hero. "We Shadow Walkers have but one single thing we believe above all else…

"All is change."

* * *

Another week past, and then another, constant treks out to the rocky wastes and caves, slaying of monsters over and over and over again. It was growing rather tedious, and he found his mind often wandering. It had been over a month now since Link had awoken and nearly the same since their training had began. Most of it consisted of monster hunting, the Hylian quickly building up muscle mass and hand eye coordination, able to use his shield now efficiently alongside his sword. Sometimes he would make the Hero help the villagers to build a house, giving him a break from the monotony of it all as well as a good days work in the sun. He would teach him little tunes on his ocarina from his own lyre, finding Link to be quite the fast learner with a good musical ear. And sometimes they would even spend the day speaking of history and such things, the hero always ready and thirsting for knowledge, so long as he didn't find the subject matter too dry.

But Sheik was growing frustrated, and he knew Link was too, both unsure how much longer this would go on. They had a world to save, and much bigger and badder monsters to slay besides the bugs and bats.

So when he woke up and hour before sunrise, 51 days to the moment when the Hero had awoke to save Hyrule, Sheik decided it was time.

"Awaken."

He stood above the others bed, since it was obviously no long, regrettably, his, and tapped his fingers along his arms. Link rolled over with a huff, brushing him off, same as his fae on the dresser. They had grown too comfortable together, Link pushing boundaries by sleeping in late and Sheik having sometimes allowed him the luxury of doing so. Not today though, today they needed to leave bright and early. There would be no more time left for being lazy.

"Awaken this instant Link or I shall pour river water over you." He wasn't annoyed, more so excited, eager to be gone from here and on the move. Even without a word from Zelda or Impa he knew they were impatient too, even if both were the epitome of it at most times.

"No need…. I'm up…" The Hylian mumbled into the pillows, sighing and shifting only a little, clearly very much so not up as he claimed. He was dead to the world, so it seemed, and Sheik unfortunately couldn't just pour water over him in the bed, it would ruin a perfectly good mattress. And Sheik did intend to get it back some day.

But Sheik had other methods, albeit crude and rather childish. Dropping his arms from over his chest he reached down and with no remorse roughly yanked away the sheets and covers protecting, what he discovered to be, a naked Hylian.

"GAH!" Link curled up against the bed instantly, his backside facing the world, and Sheik, while his front had thankfully remained protected from view as he laid face down. He shivered and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to curl into a ball the best a grown man could. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!"

He couldn't resist a smirk, eyes trailing over the others back muscles, all the way from shoulder to calf. He wasn't terribly defined yet but he was getting there, at least he wasn't as skinny as he had been when the warrior had found him. Still had a while to go before he fit the definition of a Hero. "Link. We're leaving. Get dressed and meet me outside." He turned to leave, giving the Hylian some privacy, taking the sheet with him to prevent the other from curling back to bed. "I'll be waiting."

He left, listening to the Hylian curse him out behind a yawn, the Sheikah depositing the sheet down on the chair as he walked out the front door, pausing just down the front steps to breath in the pre-morning air. The stars were still out and the sky near pitch, but the horizon line had just a tint of blue fading in, and within minutes he knew it would taint the sky. It felt good to know he was on the move again, the warrior hating to remain stationary so; it felt like ages since he had left these mountains and checked on the world, let alone the sages, and he was sincerely hoping all was well. Zelda had assured him though they had time for Link to learn and grow before Ganon would have gained the strength to be on the attack, and he trusted her so the worry wasn't terribly strong.

A few moments later the front door opened and a yawning Link came out, Navi fluttering above his shoulder, sword and shield perfectly settled at his back as he finished pulling taught his main belt. He looked good, well enough to be a fighter, and that's what was needed right now. He would learn how to become more on the road, but for now…

"Where… where are we going?" Link rubbed his face, fingertips only just there over thick leather gauntlets, most of his skin hidden now save them and his cheeks. His hat, which he had taken to not wearing so much in the last few weeks, was secured into place, the teen obviously having realized that they might be doing more than just the ordinary clearing of monsters from the vale. Sheik too stood in his full garb, all pieces of armor on and every blade in his arsenal slotted into hidden place.

"Kokiri Forest."

He watched as his words quickly gave the other pause, blue eyes looking up at him, obviously awaiting for either an explanation or a laugh to signify he was making jest. But Sheik was not one to joke, and he gave a single nod as Link judged him before turning to lead them out of Kakariko. After a moment the other began to follow, heavy steps and clinking of sword on shield giving him away to even the blind; he would definitely never be able to perform stealth, but if such a situation arose needing it, that was what Sheik was here for. "You think I'm ready?" He sounded hopeful, red eyes catching his smile out from beneath his bangs.

"I think we're running out of time." At that answer the Hylians face fell a bit, Sheik sighing and deciding to undo the bit of damage. "You're as ready as can be expected, and you will learn as we fight the temples. We just cannot wait any longer. The others can't either."

Link seemed to perk up a bit, but no longer happy, instead his face steeled, the boy turned man nodding, walking right alongside the Sheikah as they passed the gate. The very same guard the Hylian had come shambling past over a month ago stood watch now, wishing them luck as they left the false safety of the village, moving out into the Ganon-stricken world. Sheiks strides were longer but Links were quicker, so they kept fairly even pace as they headed out of the valley that houses Kakariko, the sun beginning to cast shadows as they entered the field.

It was truly time to begin their journey.

* * *

**Authors Note:**

**AHAH Bet you guys thought I bailed on ya. Nah, I work 65 hr work weeks, plus some other shit came up, so my life became fucking hilarious to say the least. I am still without a beta so feel free to lol and point out grievous errors so I may panic and fix them asap. If someone out there might offer? Looking for someone to not just read smile nod and give thumbs up, but to also tell me the strength and faults and fix when I might reuse a word about 87 times in one chapter as I am prone to do. Any takers?**

**I also kinda hesitated in updating, cause legit this chapter was done a month ago, because I hated it. I was really considering cutting it, but, fucking it, it's written and this isn't some huge planned out piece for me, so whatever if I throw in a few unnecessary chapters here and there, more reading for you guys right?**

**Uhm let's see, had some reviews I wanted to reply to as well...**

**SortingDumbleDear: Thank you, you are way to nice to this humble bro. Seriously. I'm so very critical of my writing. When I keep writing run on detail sentences so much I face desk and it makes it difficult to post. Also, when I saw...**  
**"just one thing - you called Navi Nazi a couple of times.."**  
**jdbksngfjkcvn dslghn -proceed to flip out epically- You have no idea how errors like that make me cringe! I can't believe I let that pass me by, oh my fuck... thank you for pointing that out, thank you, seriously... Gods I need a beta. I fixed it right away. It hurt physically until I did so.**

**JoeAlice: Yeah I can understand the reviews thing, I'm the same way. This fandom gets abandoned so much, or stories build up then become something else, we've all had hearts broken more than we can bear I'm sure. Ahah, I hate when one of them sees the other and sparks ignite and waves crash epically against rocks and babies are born and... just... hate love at first sight. Loathe it really. I'm going to be building friendship before either even hints to any inclinations like that, so, yeah, this companionship will be drawn out I assure all of this.**

**Midrenihte: Ahah, thank you, it's such an overwritten plot, specially that one beginning scene; I mean how many times has that been written anyways? I'm glad my version thus far hooked ya, hope you like what follows.**

**Yaoi con queen:** **Everyone always expects Link, just Link, to kill or even try to kill Ganon. I don't buy that, nations don't just sit by when a tyrant is at the reigns, there are always uprisings, fractions that gather and disobey. Zelda is technically one of them, but she wont be the only one in this story...**

**Kay that's it for now, onward and so forth. Will really be attempting to maintain biweekly updates, but again, 65 hr work weeks, don't hold me to it.**


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